Engine-starting apparatus



Jimeu, 1929. W.W.RIEDEL- 1,716,464

ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS Filed Aug'. 1, 1925 Patented June 11, 1922.

warren stares;

WALTER' W. BIEDEL, 0F DAYTON, OHIO,

rarest series.

ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

DELCO-REMY CORPORATION, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF ENGINE-STARTING ABLPARAQT'USQ Application filed August 1, 1925. Serial No. 47,427.

vent-ion to provide an engine starting, de-

vice including a motor capable of being moved bodily to engage the engine but which is so supported that it will beheld positively out of engine-engaging position, while the engine .is self-operating, thus substantially eliminating the possibility of road shocks on the vehicle throwing the motor into engagement with the engine.

Another object is to so construct and arrange the motor-supporting means that the member which holds the motor out of engine-engaging position, while the engine is self-operating, will also functlon to cause the motor to be moved bodily into engineengagingposition when the motor is rotated. .Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings: 7

Fig.1 is a fragmentary plan view showing a portion of the engine and flywheel, and a part of the starting motor including its power-transmitting member and the detent associated therewith;

Fig. 2 is a front end view of the device ll lustrated in Fig. 1; and

. Fig; 3 is a diagrammatic view showing the various elements and their respective 'elec-' trical connections. 7 I

Referring to the drawings, the numeral designates an internal-combustion engine,

a portion of which is shown in Fig. l. 21

designates the engine flywheel provided with a V-shaped peripheral groove 22.

The numeral 23 designates any suitable projection formed on the crankcase. .of the engine and upon which thestartingmotor mechanism is supported.

The starting motor referred to by the nu-' meral 24 comprises a frame having projecting ears 25 which are pivotally secured toa standard 26, by means of pin 27. The standard 26 is secured to the crankcase p rojection 23 by means ofbolts 28. The inotor is provided with an armature shaft 29 to which is secured the power-transmitting member 30. I This power-transmitting mem-. ber comprises any suitablefriction disc car ried by a collar'31 which fits on shaft 29 and is'secured thereto by means of the screw pin.

32. The edge of the friction disc 30 is formed to fit into the V-shaped peripheral groove 22 on flywheel 21,'so that'rotation of the disc will grip the flywheel and rotate it.

Another standard is secured to the crankcase projection 23 adjacent the standard 26. Apin 36 is carried by said standard, said pin pivotally supporting the detent 37. This detent has a'curved surface 38 which is adapted to engage with and lit about a portion of the power-transmitting element 30, when the motor 24 is in its in is secured one end of the tension spring $1,.

the opposite end of said spring being secured to a screw i2 fastened to thecranltcase projection 23. This spring 41 tends to hold the curved surface 38 of the detent in tight engagement with the power-transmittt element 30 ofthe motor, as it moves radial about the pin 27.

Q Referring now to the diagrammatic Fig. 3, the numeral deslgnates a storage ba ttery, 51 the motor starting switch, 52 the field of the starting motor 24, v53 the starting-motor-circuit contact, 5a the cooperating starting-motor-circuit contact and 55 the This end of the deoperative or engine-disconnected position, as

armature of the relay. 56 designates the generator having a'field 57 Numeral 58 designates the generator contact oi the relay, 59 the core and 60 the winding of the relay.

The operation of the device is as follows: hen the engine is inoperative and the starting motor is not rotating, said motor will be in the position as shown in Fig. 2;

being securely held in this position by means of coil spring 41 exerting a pull upon the extension of the detent, causing said detent to be pressed against the power-transmitting element of the motor. This pressure of said detent on the motor element will the motor contact 53, thence to its cooperating contact 54 which is held in engagement with the contact 53 by means of springs 62 0011 nected with the armature 55. From contact 54 current will flow through the armature back to the battery via the ground connec tions. This will cause the power-transmitting member of the motor 24 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction, I asv regards Fig. 2. Rotation of the power-transmitting element in this counterclockwise direction will cause it to travel along the curved surface 38 of the detent toward the engine. As soon as the motor reaches a point past the plane passing through the center of the pivot pin 27 of the motor 24, the motor will, of its own weight, move toward the engine fly wheel and cause the engagement of its powertransmitting member 80 with the engine flywheel 21. Thus it will be seen that the motor is bodily moved from .its inoperative into its engine-engaging position. Rotation of the"power-transmitting member 30 will,

when said member engages the flywheel, and

' due to its angular position relative to the cen ter of the flywheel tend to wedge said mem-- her into frictional engagement with the flywheel, thus tending to rotate the flywheel in a clockwise direction, to crank the engine. While the motor cranks the engine detent 37 is moved into the position??? by the spring 41. Motion in this direction is limited by a lug 43 on the hub of detent 87 striking a stop 44 m standard 35.

As soon as the engine becomes self-open. '&ting, the rotation of the flywheel will tend to kick the power-transmitting member 30 out of engagement therewith,consequently throwing the motor bodily about its pivot point 27 toward the detent 37.. The member will first engage theangularsurface 39 of said detent and thenforce its way slidably along the curved path 38 into a position as shown in Fig. 2 in which the detent acting under the force of the spring 49 will maintain the said member while the motor is inoperative.

Self-operation of the engine will cause the generator 56 to supply current for'charging' the battery50. Thus current will flow from the generator through wire 63 to wire 64, through the coil 60 aboutthe core 59 of the relay and back to the generator via the wire 65. This will energizethe core 59 and cause it to attract. the armature 55 against the operation. of the spring 62. Movement of the armature toward the core 59 will move the contact 54 out of engagement with the motor contact 53 and bring the armature 55 into engagement with the generator contact 58. Now, the generator will deliver current through'the-wire 63 to the battery 50 and via the ground connection to the armature 55, thence through the contact 58 back to. the generator via the wire 65 and thus charge the battery. While this charging of the-battery is in effect, it may be seen that the motor circuit is broken at they contact 53, so that even though the operator maintains pressure on the switch 51 to close the circuit at this point, the motor will cease to'operate soon after the engine becomes self-operative.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted,'all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1, A starting device forv an internal combustion engine including a flywheel, comprising, in combination, a motor pivotally supported at the side of the engine flywheel and normally inclined with respect to its pivotal point away from said engine flywheel, said motor having a drive shaft and a power-transmitting memberthereon and a circular track spring-pressed into direct'engagement with the power-transmitting memher along which said member'is adapted to roll when said motor is operatechuntil the motor is moved bodily beyond the vertical plane passing through the pivotal point thereof.

2. A starting device for an internal cominclined from the engine, and a circular track spring-pressed into engagement with the power-transmitting member, and including a portion normally holding: the motor in said inclined position while the motor is inoperative, said track being substantially ooncenalong saidtrack to move the motor circumtricwith the pivot point of the motor and ferentially about its pivot point to cause extending beyond the vertical plane passing engagement of the power-transmitting lnem- '10,

through said pivot point, and providing a ber with the engine flywheel. run-way for the power-transmitting mem- In'testimony whereof I hereto 'aflix my ber whereby, when the motor is operated, signature.

said power-transmitting member will roll I WALTER W. RIEDEL. 

